Formula 1 is set to visit Silverstone not just once but twice in a disrupted 2020 Formula 1 season if a recently agreed deal between the two parties gets the go ahead from UK authorities.
The two British Grands Prix have been pencilled in for the 26th July and the 2nd August, and would follow the opening two rounds of the hastily modified calendar at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.
It follows the cancellation or postponement of the first ten rounds of the season as the world locks itself down in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak.
However, question marks around UK quarantine measures and social distancing remain, threatening to derail plans before the ink on the deal has a chance to dry.
The UK government have announced a mandatory two week quarantine for visitors arriving form abroad, but are yet to clarify when that will come into force, or whether or not there will be any exceptions.
As the second of the proposed Austrian rounds of the championship is set to take place just two weeks before the first British Grand Prix, this would royally scupper the Silverstone double header (or the second Austrian round), and impact the remainder of the season.
There is also a doubt over whether or not the UK government will allow such a large number of F1 personnel (easily 1000+) to gather in a place where social distancing is going to be impossible.
The two races are being held behind closed doors to minimise the risk of transmission of COVID-19, inline with other sporting events across the world, and other proposed Grand Prix weekends.
Formula 1 initially proposed that it would waive Silverstone’s race hosting fee since the BRDC owned track would be unable to generate any income from ticket sales, catering, merchandising or camping/parking, however, the Northamptonshire circuit decided this wasn’t enough, and pushed for a £15m fee from F1 (the same as they pay annually to host the British GP in ‘peacetime’).
However, it has now been revealed that all financial obstacles have been removed and the two parties are happy with their (undisclosed) agreement.
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